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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Can I Have My Gourmet Magazine Back?

Ok, this was funny for a while, but the joke is over. I want my Gourmet magazine back!

Come on Conde Nast, don't you think you overreacted pulling the plug on Gourmet so quickly? Not only was it my favorite food magazine, but it was also my favorite travel magazine. I not only wanted to eat the food but I also wanted to go to that place and meet those people.

To make matters worse the archives of Gourmet are either so buried in the Epicurious website or they are gone completely. The only element that is still easy to find are the recipes. If that's all they thought was worth holding onto then they didn't realize what they had in the first place.

How about this Conde Nast: if Gourmet was pulled as a reaction to the economic crisis then can we set a Dow number that will mark the immediate and simultaneous re-introduction of Gourmet? Let's say at 11,000 we go quarterly and at 13,000 we are a monthly again!!

This magazine looks insane! Really dig the shot too. I'm going to have to research this now. Thanks for sharing...!

RaynaNyc said ... (5:36 PM) :

I share your sentiment. Recent news from CN was they were converting Gourmet into an 'online only' property -- an iPad app. Not the same as a monthly publication filled with a curated mix of delectable food offerings, editorial on sojourns, style, and how to's.

Here here! Bon Appetit is just not cutting it. I want interesting and thought provoking articles, great recipes, and gorgeous photography. I'm really turned off by the harsh, flashed out photos that are used in Bon Appetit.

I'm curious to find out what the Gourmet Live is all about.http://live.gourmet.com/

I agree. I've been a Gourmet subscriber for years and I'm very unhappy about the canceling of it. In an newspaper article that was published when they announced its cancellation, it was stated that consumers wanted recipes that can be thrown together quickly and cheaply and that there wasn't really a big enough market for Gourmet. Lord help us if they think this is true. Not all of us want to dump cans of soup into our recipes and vacation in Disneyland.

Anonymous said ... (5:43 PM) :

I want my Gourmet back, too! I was a faithful subscriber for 36 years - and isn't it us "mature" subscribers who still read print media? And are willing to pay for the pleasure of a truly great magazine? Come on, Conde Nast, spend a little less on Vogue and Vanity Fair and give us back Gourmet!

Here, here! bon appetit just doesn't cut it...and i've now subscribed to Saveur, but i agree. it was about way more than the recipes... the photos were gorgeous and definitely made me want to experience everything first hand.

Anonymous said ... (6:11 PM) :

If you miss Gourmet, you should check out Saveur: great articles, great recipes, and great photography.

http://www.saveur.com/

Noelle said ... (6:11 PM) :

I had only been reading Gourmet a short time when they pulled the plug- but I loved it and miss it! Bon Appetit is okay, but not as good. Let's start a letter writing campaign. They'll probably want us all to subscribe, but that would be okay with me.

Anonymous said ... (6:12 PM) :

I loved Gourmet also - I would get lost in the beauty, the lushness, the fantasy of each gorgeous issue.The photography and graphics were sublime.Oh and the recipes weren't bad either.I was shocked when it ended - I was just about to subscribe !I feel the same way about Domino which was also a favorite.I have all my old issues of both mags, and often pull out a pile of each and look through them as if it was the first time....and the magic feelings instantly return.Sigh....

RJT

Anonymous said ... (6:14 PM) :

YES! bring Gourmet back! ahhh, you are as wise about food as you are about fashion...

While we're at it, can I have my Domino Magazine back too? Seriously, I'm still heartbroken they took it away. And then to add insult to injury they sent me Architectural Digest instead. I liked Domino because of it's fun style and mix of high and low pieces. AD doesn't even try to be accessible.

Page said ... (6:36 PM) :

Oh, I agree! I miss Gourmet all the time, and wished I'd saved more of the issues I had. Having access to the recipes is in no way the same as enjoying their features, fantastic art direction, travel fantasies and cool general sensibility each month. Don't be proud, Conde Nast. Admit your mistake and bring back Gourmet!!

(And, I agree, Domino, too!)

gabi said ... (6:38 PM) :

hear, hear.

I subscribed to Gourmet a month before it was shut down! Talk about bad timing! They sent me bon apetit instead, which is just downright boring, not to mention their weird taste on photographs!

Maya said ... (6:48 PM) :

YES. Bring my beloved Gourmet back, please.

Anonymous said ... (6:50 PM) :

I mean, you can't compare the experience of flipping through a real Gourmet edition to the cold stupid online stuff!

Unfortunately, in an environment of texting and twittering, fewer and fewer people are interested in the sort of in-depth treatment typical of specialist magazines like Gourmet.

My personal current favorite food publication is the advertising-free quarterly Art of Eating that covers food and the places and people in the kitchen, at the winery and on the farm. I highly recommend it.

I was blown away when Conde Nast chose to save Bon Appetit over Gourmet - and they had to rub it in by sending the hideous BA every month, until my subscription ran out.

Art direction and photography at Gourmet were stunning, I hope we can at least save the websiteI hear an App is in the works, too, but who wants to wiwld a gadget in the kitchen. I still flip through my old issues for inspiration ....

I remember as a kid looking through my mother's Gourmet's and I always loved the photo's and one of the smaller articles that had in its header Victorian designs. I miss it.

Anonymous said ... (7:38 PM) :

Ruth is still writing - http://www.ruthreichl.com/words.html

it's not the same, but it's a fun follow.

Karen said ... (7:39 PM) :

I have loved many issues of this magazine as well however, in the last couple years I have grown a great affection for Saveur. I recommend you take a peruse. My favourite issue was this past March as entire issue was dedicated to all the different layers of the Los Angeles food culture. So well done and so in depth. The void may not have been filled with the loss of Gourmet but there is seems to be a new kid on the block.

I miss it, too. I still look through my old copies that I wouldn't dare throw away. Even before they closed up shop, those issues were always a part of my library. I'd resubscribe in a heart beat! Bring back Gourmet!

Anonymous said ... (8:09 PM) :

Ditto! And Same for Domino! It had such a great aesthetic and while a small, a loyal and powerful audience. Conde Nast gives up quality for quantity.

Loved Gourmet! I hoped they would funnel some of the money spent on it to the replacement mag, bon appetit, but it seems like it almost got worse! Bring back Gourmet - and Domino, Vitals, Home Companion, ....

YES! Bring back Gourmet Magazine! What a loss! And to add insult to injury, they've replaced my subscription with Bon Appetit. Ugh, no thanks!

Thank you for touching on this!

Anonymous said ... (8:52 PM) :

Just found 12 years of my old Gourmets in the basement (1988 to 2000). I sorted them all by month (not year), and I pull out each month's set of 12 magazines and use it as a cookbook for that month. Some very cherished memories and recipes in those magazines!

I don't understand why they didn't explore making it (and Domino for that matter) an online only magazine.

It would have cut out the entire cost of printing and mailing and probably (at least in the case of Domino) been just as popular or maybe even more so online. Archives would be easily accessible too. They just aren't looking to change their business model and could care less about their audience. Tragic, really.

With all that being said, maybe a group of us should start our own online foodie publication...or collaborative blog with photos and recipes...

Feel free to contact me at tracy(dot)dauterman(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said ... (9:51 PM) :

Add me to the list of commenters who still miss DOMINO! I scan home design websites every weekend, but it's just not the same as having and holding and flagging and dog-earing the pages of the magazine...which was plenty aspirational, but still felt attainable, for the average Brooklyn Jane.

This is like the time Jane magazine folded and they started sending me Glamour to finish out my subscription. Jane and Glamour? VERY different magazines. Or when Mademoiselle folded, which was a shame. And Domino, which was the best decorating magazine for real people. I remember when the Shop, Etc. notice came in my mailbox that it had shut down and would be sending me Good Housekeeping instead. What was a 23 year old girl going to do with Good Housekeeping?! Magazines are a dying breed. But, maybe your wish can be granted. Victoria Magazine folded and then came back!

Stef said ... (10:09 PM) :

I COMPLETELY AGREE.

Not having gourmet in my life anymore is killing me. They started a new iPad app, but it's just not the same.

This woman is beguiling. The photo is perfect.And I am in complete agreementabout multi-functioning magazines.Conde Nast could bring back Domino as welland I wouldn't be disappointed.

ps. Met you briefly in Denver and I'll tell you, it feels great to meet your heroes.

Anonymous said ... (10:25 PM) :

Yes, Gourmet was a wonderful magazine. Although I was an off and on again subscriber I always took note of it at my specialty market and bought it occasionally if I wasn't getting it thru the mail. I wouldn't be optimistic about it's return, the decision to shut it down was a BUSINESS decsion and business people are dead behind the eyes. Hang on to the old copies you have and cherish them.

I have yet to read any of the other comments. Generally, I will try to read most of them before I comment. But with this I so whole heartily agree. Gourmet is my all time favorite magazine. I am getting hungry just thinking about it.

Anonymous said ... (10:59 PM) :

Agreed. I nearly needed a support group when they discontinued it. The photography and writing were both modern and nostalgic at the same time. Ruth Reichl really made it special.

I have never read this magazine, but it sounds and looks amazing. You seem to have great taste in just about everything -- not just fashion. In the future, you should post recommendations for magazines, books, movies, restaurants, travel spots, etc., etc., etc. --- I don't want to miss out on anything cool, like I evidently did with Gourmet magazine!

Zenobiar said ... (1:49 AM) :

How peculiar that in this age of the Internet being held accountable for pulling apart the personal associations of face to face relationships, blah blah, blah, that many of us are united in 1) fondness for Domino, 2) nostaglia for Gourmet and House and Garden, and 3) abhorrence of Bon Appetit. (Sorry, Saveur is just too didactic, maybe will develop.) That's a very wide range of target market. But we are also united in Sart. Thanks, Scott.

Completely agree. My favorite magazine--reading it was an escape every month. Bon Appetit doesn't even come close. It is sad a magazine with a history like Gourmet can be gone seemingly overnight.

Val said ... (6:12 AM) :

Food is an amazing and necessary part of travelling, discovering and meeting people. This magazine was the only stylish and yummy publication out ther, and the photos were always wonderful. Bring it back, even at a higher price, I will buy it.

Picot said ... (6:23 AM) :

Yes! I am still mourning Gourmet as well. Such beautiful photography and elegant recipes. I don't want understand why Conde Nast bet on a dumbed down Bon Appetit in a market already crowded with Sandra Lee, Rachel Ray and Paula Dean. They should have canceled Bon Appetit and put all of their effort towards Gourmet. Wasn't the circulation difference like 100K? Yeah, still not over it...

I miss it so much! I'm not a cook, but I loved the articles, the travel stuff, and the beautiful photos. They replaced my subscription with Bon Appetit, which I can't even look at. YES, bring it back!!!

Sasha said ... (7:08 AM) :

I couldn't agree more. They tried to substitute Bon Appetit but I kept sending them back. I hope they had to pay postage. What a totally stupid business decision.

I can't believe you pulled it either! It was such a beautiful magazine, so inspiring, such a good read for making you want to travel and find some unique local dish to try. Think you should start a 'Bring Back Gourmet Magazine' campaign!

I totally agree with you! I had a subscription and they changed it to Bon Appetite which is really just a magazine version of hgtv. So sad. Gourmet had class and the photos were beautifully styled. So inspiring. I have no idea why they ended it. I am a huge Gourmet fan. I even have their giant anniversary cookbook that I use all the time and have read all but one Ruth Reichle books (the former editor of Gourmet). Sad stuff!

...and DOMINO too - miss it so much! but Gourmet Traveller is still available in Australia - you could always subsribe to our one http://gourmettraveller.com.au/ its a beautiful magazine - i love the travel photos and food styling!!! and Aussies are real foodies!!!

Yes, please!!! Can't you use your pull here Scott? I mean, damn it man!! It was without question a superb publication and I too want it back. It was transportive! One moment I am waiting for the B train to take me into Lower Manhattan and the next I am sailing lazily to Croatia, and sampling figs and ricotta drizzled with honey. Why is it the trashy magazines seem to thrive, but Gourmet, Domino, House & Garden....gone. What an awful "joke" indeed. Feels like you lost a friend, no?

Anonymous said ... (8:40 AM) :

I think they had close to a million subscribers when they closed. I find it hard to believe that some cost cutting would not have made Gourmet a keeper. I was a long time subscriber and gave it as a gift to friends and family.

I am just jumping in with everyone else...when Gourmet folded I felt such sadness.I know it sounds superficial in the scheme of 'bigger things' but it was a magazine we loved! I have stacks of copies and I still use them for inspiration and recipes.I too, wanted to go to those places and meet those people and the photos....were amazing! Thank you for this wonderful memory ....Let's bring gourmet back! ....L

oh, thank you thank you for this post! I couldn't agree more! What a shame. No matter how tech savvy this world has gotten, some classics are viable and needed. I LOVED getting my Gourmet-- it is my Vogue of cooking. So glossy and amazing. I hope CondeNast heeds your call!

As a food blogger who dabbles in fashion, I was pleasantly surprised to see you post about this. We can only hope the powers-that-be will sit up and take notice of the quantity and enthusiasm of the responses here.

To Anonymous who catalogs his/her cooking magazines by month- what a great idea, I wouldn't have thought of that but it makes perfect sense!

I found this exact issue in a Thrift store! The photos from Italy in the cover story are so gorgeous. Cannot seem to find another magazine that matches the the artistic design and passionate content. The stories from Ruth Reichl were also always so nostalgic and honest. Reading this on an iPad would destroy the pleasure for me..

Amazing, when I opened the blog today and saw that cover shot, I instantly knew the spread you were speaking of. Aside from drooling over the insane salumi/dried aged meat platter the just smacks you in the face. I vividly recall this incredible spread, the people, the whole scene that was captured in this photo shoot for the magazine. The people were gorgeous and the food was so incredibly simple and well displayed. It was almost too surreal, but it was burned into my memory and I wasn't even a subscriber to the magazine. I wanted to be after seeing this! Interesting, was that there was a rocks glass with whiskey on the table, which almost gives this very Euro-ish table an American nod. Thanks for bringing back the memory. I love your blog!

I am one of a handful of people cook-through blogging The Gourmet Cookbook and you can't imagine our shock when we got this news. Devastating!! When I started the project I felt like I was writing FOR the Gourmet staff that had put such hard work into the book--and now they're scattered to the four winds. :-(

There will never be another magazine like Ruth Reichl's Gourmet. I'm SO glad I never got around to pitching out all my back issues even though they threaten to take over my pantry shelves. Bon Appetit? Let's just say I NEVER have to worry about that magazine taking up too much space. I wouldn't subscribe if Conde Nast paid ME.

An iPad app? Gourmet was SO SO much more than a collection of recipes.

add me to the petition! i adored gourmet and it shocked me when i heard it was going away.

also, i contest the idea that their recipes were always involved affairs - it bears looking at the newer issues to see that that is an outdated stereotype. there were many recipes in the issues that reflected the paired down and simple aesthetic that so many (including myself) love today. but it was always clear that they never were limited by simple or complicated - passion for food rang out on every page.

i can only dream of gourmet being resurrected and its spirit respected, the way Victoria magazine came back...please!!!!!!!!!

Gina said ... (11:10 AM) :

Conde Nast needs to admit that they panicked and screwed up. And if they need to, kill Bon Apetit, which doesn't have the same magic as Gourmet always did. Saveur is a very worthy publication, and one I'll keep subscribing to, but Gourmet still deserves to come back. It was just one of the best magazines available, bar none.

And my god, what a photo that is.

Anonymous said ... (11:25 AM) :

I can only hope that Conde Nast reads your blog and reconsiders. Magazines aren't the same as online magazines or Apps, there is pride of ownership in magazines for one thing. And brand loyalty, which we've seen in the comments above. And being able to flip back through them when you feel like it, even ripping out pages if you feel like it. Not the same as printing off a page online.

westindya said ... (11:27 AM) :

I concur! I even framed photos from various issues. It is a great food and travel magazine. *sigh*

ok let's start a campaign. there are so many readers and followers of this fantastic blog, we are a highly desirable demographic. how about an online blitz to conde nast letting them know they will receive subscriptions for a re-introduced Gourmet from a wide variety of discerning readers; even an international contingent. are you with me?

Anonymous said ... (11:50 AM) :

my romance with Gourmet was short - only 2 years but oh,how I miss it! at least I know I am not suffering alone. Hello? - pleae bring it back and dump BA! I will not renew.

You know what magazines I miss? Jane.. and Taxi. Does anyone remember Taxi Magazine? I was living in Malaysia and the Philippines when I would buy this one, so it was the 80's, but I cannot find ANY reference to it on-line now. Very weird. Perhaps I was mad! Or it wasn't called Taxi after all. But I could swear... Help?

You too?!And that particular issue is one of my favorites.It was around for 60 years or so, right? How do they just get rid of it? It doesn't make sense.The recipes were fantastic and it was my cheap, monthly mini-vacation...

I'm so glad I am not alone on this. I looked forward to getting Gourmet every month in the mail. The photography, art direction and articles were so well executed. I wish they had waited on pulling the plug. They sent me Bon Appetit to finish my remaining subscription and it doesn't even hold a candle next to Gourmet. It looks and reads just like a Rachel Ray type, cookie cutter design, low grade food magazine. This is very upsetting.

I couldn't agree more. Gourmet should be resurrected. I credit it and W Magazine with having an incredible influence on my taste (I'm a jewelry designer), and its absence is sorely missed by just about everyone I know. I loved the center spread every month, you know the one: the impossibly chic meal layed out in an impossibly chic setting. I wanted to just dive into the picture. I still do.

As someone trying to learn more about food photography, Gourmet was an amazing resource, one that hasn't been duplicated (not even close).

I could agree more with this commenter's point:

"I'm really turned off by the harsh, flashed out photos that are used in Bon Appetit."

Amen! Saveur has some nice photos, but nothing compared to Gourmet. Now I'm hoarding my old issues, along with all of the back issues I have of Domino. It was a tough blow when these two got cancelled within months of each other.

Anonymous said ... (1:03 PM) :

So nice to see all the positive comments about Gourmet. One thing I feel compelled to point out: It was not for lack of readers that the magazine was shut down. In fact, circulation was at its highest point. So you can't blame the Internet and short attention spans; likewise, I don't think any number of letters to CNP will change their minds. They had the readers, they just didn't have the ads. (Also, without the staff, particularly Ruth Reichl, it would not be the Gourmet magazine we're talking about, no matter what it's called or who publishes it.)

Anonymous said ... (1:21 PM) :

Amen! And what kind of swap was Architectural Digest for Domino? Conde Nast-bring Domino back! And House and Garden as well. If I had wanted AD, I would have already been subscribing to it.

I couldn't agree with you more on the demise of Gourmet.I,too,wanted to go to these places and meet those people...sometimes the fantasy was to be THAT person.I read Saveur and think the photography is comparable. but the stories don't capture me the way Gourmet did...Lorinda MacDonald

I agree. I faithfully subscribed to the magazine, and purchased the books collecting recipes.

Anonymous said ... (3:02 PM) :

Agreed! Where are the Gourmet editorials on the website? Those deliciously and meticulously art directed editorial fantasies made so perfect by fabulous food, prop, and fashion stylists? They truly were aspirational and transportive- and isn't that the goal of any good lifestyle publication? AND, if this wasn't on your agenda already Scott- I think YOU should be contributing regularly- shooting REAL stylish people, food, fashion, and parties in far flung locales. The recession is history- and "the economy"- declasse. We're craving and ready to taste Gourmet again!

The tastemakers have spoken. Will you fill the niche Conde Nast?... Or will someone else?

And while you're at it- we Domino back, too.

Anonymous said ... (3:25 PM) :

I agree! I've been a devoted Gourmet reader for 25 years. And while I'm an avid reader of Saveur, Food and Wine and Bon Appetit each of which has its strengths, none can replace Gourmet. I loved the recipes, the mouth watering photography, the restaurant reviews, the wine/spirits articles, not to mention the wonderful travel pieces. Please bring Gourmet back!

Laurent said ... (3:37 PM) :

Another victim of advertisers seeking the 21 to 34 demographics. Another institution that is discovered too late by a new generation. Perhaps if they changed the name to: Quick and Easy Microwave Gourmet. Support your magazines, the clock is ticking.......................

Anonymous said ... (4:00 PM) :

I absolutely agree. My grandmother used to subscribe to Gourmet and I started to a few years ago myself. It was something I always looked forward to reading, in the mornings, in the evenings, on the weekends. It was always a stress reducer; it made me feel healthier, it made me feel happier and more peaceful. Living and working in NY, this was really important to me. Of all the magazines to go, I think this one was a REAL SHAME.

berkshire mems said ... (4:08 PM) :

yes, yes, yes -- bring back "gourmet"! i was a subscriber for nearly 40 years. i planned my first trip to paris based on recommendations made in "gourmet". i learned to cook from "gourmet". i miss it terribly.

I've made do with Bon Appetit. I have a supporting cast in Sunset (because, well, I live in the West) and Saveur (the best American food mag right now?) and La Cucina Italiana (beyond lovely, if you're into it). But I really miss Gourmet. And not primarily for the recipes either. It was an institution. I don't read online magazines and frankly, I wish I could subscribe to blogs and have them delivered daily to my door in print form, yay for WWD at least. The best I've done is Tivo'd Gourmet's Adventures with Ruth and when Bon Appetit comes, I read it.

I feel like civilization declined when Gourmet stopped publishing. Never in my wildest imaginings did I think that a bastion of good taste, culture, exciting travel, and fabulous entertaining would end. It says everything about where we are as a society. So terribly, terribly sad.

The magazine went down hill as soon as Ruth Reichl took it over. It lost its panache and went from "Gourmet" to "foodie" in tone; words that somehow sound similar but whose connotation reflect two entirely different gastronomic styles... I want Gourmet back without Ruth, s'il vous plait

I cried real tear when I heard the news. I want Gourmet back too!!! BA just doesn't compare.

Laurent said ... (11:26 AM) :

Yasmin Le Bon, No? Classic beauty. This picture inspired us to have a luncheon al fresco this weekend. everyone who follows sartorialist invited. If you are coming from NY I have a wish list for italian and french provisions.

This brings back the pain of the loss of my favorite magazine all over again!

m.edwin said ... (12:46 PM) :

what a great cover to make your point

Sophie said ... (1:09 PM) :

Yes yes yes! Bring back Gourmet and bring back Domino. Please!

Anonymous said ... (1:12 PM) :

Ohhhhh I couldn't agree with you more! Bon Apetit has been a sorely disappointing alternative!

Dayna said ... (1:28 PM) :

Gourmet was my favorite magazine. Not just because of the food, but the photos as well. They were so irreplaceable. It's ridiculous, and I know so many people who would be willing to pay twice the original amount they charged to get the magazine back. Their cookbooks just don't cut it. I was very disappointed that Conde Nast cut Gourmet over Bon Appetit.

I've loved Gourmet magazine since the 1980s. I loved the recipes, because they were true gourmet recipes, not afraid of obscure ingredients or complicated steps. The "foodie" magazines we have now are like Gourmet Lite, fancy food for dummies. How sad that such a lovely monument to gourmet cooking is gone.

I miss Gourmet and Ruth terribly (although I do follow her Twitter posts which I love and her website). Gourmet was yet another piece of American history which has sadly been lost. Don't be jealous everyone - but I own almost the entire 68 years worth!

Anonymous said ... (3:12 PM) :

Totally agreed, and thanks for the post. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! PLEASE BRING BACK OUR GOURMET!

What!? Nooooo, I saw this picture and I thought "huh, should finally get a subscription to that" ... this is terrible news (news to me that is)

Anonymous said ... (11:00 PM) :

Funny - that the cover you chose to show is my favorite cover of all time. The story/photo essay inside that issue is even better. Gourmet had started to shoot these lifestyle scenes - instead of just taking pictures of the food and ingredients - and I thought this new tactic was very successful. No other foodie magazine comes close in my opinion. Not only for the photo stories and travel articles but also for the recipes and the way the recipes are laid out. It was a great resource - and wonderful to look at. I've saved every single one.

Tina said ... (12:26 AM) :

I loved Gourmet! I started getting it just 6 months before it was closed down, and I looked forward to getting it each month so much. I was pretty devastated when Conde Nast chose *Bon Appetite* over Gourmet! What a travesty

Tina said ... (12:30 AM) :

I loved Gourmet! I started getting it just 6 months before it was closed down, and I looked forward to getting it each month so much. I was devastated when Conde Nast chose BA over Gourmet! What a travesty. I loved Gourmet's engagement with the political (the article on workers on tomato farms in Florida in particular), the international styles of food (their Argentinean recipes were approved of by Argentinean friends!), and the total deliciousness of the recipes. Not to mention that it just felt so much more sophisticated than BA does.

I couldn't agree more. The foodie world is suffering with the loss of Gourmet. I still flip back through the old issues and look for culinary inspiration according to each month. But, you're right, the fashion and travel pieces were iconic...

Two more votes for the Domino and Gourmet, two undispensable sources for my inner and domestic life. Who runs Conde Nast and what were they thinking!!! ?????????

Miss them both so much. Back issues treasured.

Anthea Liontos said ... (5:08 PM) :

On my first solo trip to Europe, when I was 21, I had a six hour layover in Amsterdam and decided to explore the city instead of the airport. Equipped with my first real camera (Canon), I walked around snapping shots of bicycles (another story) and ended up in a little restaurant for lunch. I did what I always do when dining alone. I pulled out my notebook and began writing down thoughts. The place was empty because it was past lunch hour and the owner of the restaurant came over to tell me they weren't serving again until dinner. What?! I was starving and exhausted. Seeing my notebook and camera, he suddenly asked if I were a journalist. I paused, looked up and finally answered, "Yes. I write for Gourmet." I've never lied in my life before or since so I don't know what came over me at that moment. Hunger for sure but maybe also being so far away from home for the first time...maybe the adventure of it all carried me away... whatever, it worked. You surely know the rest. I proceeded to have an amazing meal and a sampling of delicious desserts. I even took a photo with the owner in front of his restaurant. I hope he wasn't too disappointed when he never found his article...sigh. Of course I felt badly later on but for one afternoon I lived out my fantasy career and it was sublime.

Ever since, I've looked to Gourmet to take me away to far away places when I couldn't travel and for coveted and vetted addresses when I could. The recipes were great too, of course. And Ruth Reichl? Well she's one of my heroes. So yes, I too want my Gourmet back! What can we do??

Anonymous said ... (5:21 PM) :

PLEASE come back Gourmet. We have gone from college to Switzerland to Spain to New York and then Portland, Oregon together. I miss you all and Gourmet kept me in the loop with happenings in THE WORLD.

yes yes bring it back now! especially irritating when such a ton of garbage graces news stands .. & no, i don't agree about making it an iphone app - give me a break - part of the thing with magazines is their physical presence .. if The Sartorialist were available in magazine form I'd buy it, I mean I love that its online, & a monthly best-of would be great don't you think?